Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DUPLEX ELECTRICAL CABLE FITTING
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to electrical cable fittings, and
more
particularly, to duplex electrical cable fittings configured to provide a 90
degree dual
fitting.
Background of the Invention
[0003] An electrical cable fitting is used to securely mount electrical
cables
through a knockout opening of an enclosure (e.g., electrical box, outlet box,
junction
box). Currently, there are various electrical cable fittings available in the
market such as
a straight duplex fitting (Figure 1) and a single fitting with a 90 degree
construction
(Figure 2). Generally, each electrical cable fitting with a 90 degree
construction available
in the market includes a base member and a cover secured to the base member
with a
screw or other connector. This design and configuration provide one entry for
multiple
electrical cables. However, due to the direction of the electrical cables and
the limited
space available around the enclosure, it is often difficult and inconvenient
to work with
the currently available electrical cable fittings. Users need a 90 degree
fitting with more
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than one entry for the multiple electrical cables to install them more
effectively and
efficiently.
[0004] Accordingly, although various electrical cable fittings are
available
currently in the market, further improvements are possible for fittings with a
90 degree
construction that provide easy installation of electrical cables therewithin.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a duplex
electrical
cable fitting includes a connector body including a mounting member having a
mounting
member sidewall extending between first and second open ends, the first and
second open
ends defining a cable passage therebetween and a base member having a cover
engaging
member, the cover engaging member defining a cover engaging hole, wherein the
base
member is connected to the mounting member at the second open end and extends
downwardly therefrom, a cover having a cover hook, the cover hook movably
connected
to the base member via the cover engaging hole so as to allow the cover to be
movable
relative thereto between open and closed positions, and a locknut configured
to engage
with the mounting member.
[0006] According to a method aspect, a method of using a duplex electrical
cable
fitting includes affixing the duplex electrical cable fitting to an enclosure
by securing a
mounting member of a connector body through a desired knockout opening of the
enclosure, opening a cover of the duplex electrical cable fitting such that
the cover is
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substantially parallel with the mounting member of the connector body,
installing
electrical cables via openings in opposite ends of the mounting member of the
connector
body, closing the cover, and affixing the cover to a base member of the
connector body
with a captive screw.
[0007] These and other aspects of the present invention will be better
understood
in view of the drawings and following detailed description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
100081 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a prior art for mounting
electrical cables
through an enclosure;
100091 Figure 2 is a perspective view of a prior art for mounting
electrical cables
with a 90 degree construction;
[0010] Figure 3 is a partially-exploded perspective view of the duplex
electrical
cable fitting, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the duplex electrical cable
fitting in
Figure 3 in an open position;
100121 Figure 5 is a side view of the duplex electrical cable fitting in
Figure 3
secured to an enclosure with electrical cables installed therewithin;
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[0013] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the connector body of the duplex
electrical cable fitting in Figure 3;
[0014] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the duplex electrical cable
fitting in
Figure 3 in a closed position;
[0015] Figure 8 is another perspective view of the duplex electrical cable
fitting
in Figure 3 in a closed position;
[0016] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the duplex electrical cable
fitting in
Figure 3, in a closed position, secured to an enclosure with electrical cables
installed
therewithin;
[0017] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the cover of the duplex
electrical fitting
in Figure 3; and
[0018] Figure 11 is a side view of an engagement of the cover hook and the
cover
engagement member in Figure 3 in an open position.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, referring to
Figures
3-5, a duplex electrical cable fitting 10 includes a connector body 12, a
cover 14 which is
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movably connected to the connector body 12, and a locknut 15. The duplex
electrical
cable fitting 10 provides a 90 degree fitting with a two entries configuration
such that
multiple electrical cables may be installed therewithin, as illustrated in
Figure 5.
[0020] Referring to Figure 6, the connector body 12 includes a mounting
member
16 and a base member 18 which is connected to the mounting member 16. The
mounting
member 16 is substantially cylindrical and has a mounting member sidewall 20
extending
between first and second open ends 22, 24, respectively, thereby defining a
cable passage
26 therebetween. The first and second open ends 22, 24 provide two entries for
electrical
cables to be installed within the cable passage 26 of the duplex electrical
cable fitting 10.
[0021] Referring more particularly to Figure 4, the mounting member 16
includes
external threads 28 formed about the first open end 22, for locking threaded
engagement
with the locknut 15, such that the duplex electrical cable fitting 10 can be
secured to an
enclosure (e.g., electrical box, outlet box, junction box). For example, once
the locknut
15 is removed from the external threads 28, the mounting member 16 of the
connector
body 12 could be inserted into a desired knockout opening of the enclosure.
Then, the
locknut 15 can be fastened to the external threads 28 from the inside of the
enclosure to
secure the duplex electrical cable fitting 10 to the enclosure.
[0022] Referring again to Figures 4 and 6, the base member 18 extends
downwardly from the second open end 24 of the mounting member 16 such that the
mounting and base members 16, 18 are substantially perpendicular to each
other. The
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base member 18 supports the electrical cables once they are installed through
the cable
passage 26. The base member 18 has a U-shaped cross section and includes a
cover
engaging member 32 that is positioned on top of the base member 18. The cover
engaging member 32 is substantially rectangular in form and includes a top bar
34 and
first and second side bars 36, 38 that extend upwardly from the top of the
base member
18, each of which transitions to the top bar 34. The top, first and second
side bars 34, 36,
38 define a cover engaging hole 40 through which a cover hook 42, as will be
described
in greater detail below, is inserted to allow the cover 14 to transit between
the open and
closed positions. A flat 44 is defined and positioned closely adjacent to the
cover
engaging member 32 to provide stability for the cover 14 when it is in the
open position.
In the depicted embodiment, the cover engaging member 32 is formed integrally
with the
base member 18; alternately, the cover engaging member 32 could be welded
thereto or
attached via some other means.
100231 Referring to Figures 4, 6 and 7, the base member 18 further
includes a
cover connector receiver 46 in the bottom portion of the base member 18,
protruding
from a front surface 48 thereof. The cover connector receiver 46 has a cover
connector
receiver sidewall 49 extending between open and closed ends 50, 52. The cover
connector receiver 46 is internally screw threaded (not shown). A cover
connector
opening 54, which is defined in the base member 18, is configured to align
with the open
end 50 of the cover connector receiver 46, such that a captive screw 56 or
other connector
could be inserted through the aligned openings and fastened for affixing the
cover 14 to
the base member 18. In the depicted embodiment, the cover connector receiver
46 is a
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cone shaped structure; alternately, the cover connector receiver 46 could be
in any shape,
as deemed suitable for the application. The cover connector receiver 46 is
dimensioned
to closely accommodate the captive screw 56 or other connector and provides
stability
when the duplex electrical cable fitting 10 is installed.
[0024] The cover 14 is movably connected to the top of the connector body
12
and repositionable relative thereto between the open (Figure 4) and closed
(Figure 8)
positions. In the closed position, the cover 14 completely encloses the base
member 18
and surrounds a part of the electrical cables that are placed along the base
member 18, as
shown in Figure 9.
[0025] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the cover 14 is U shaped and
includes the
cover hook 42 which is configured to engage with the cover engaging member 32
to
provide a movable connection of the cover 14. The cover 14 could be completely
detached from the connector body 12 by fully disengaging the cover hook 42
from the
cover engaging member 32. The cover 14 defines a cover connecting hole 58
through
which the captive screw 56 or other connector could be inserted to affix the
cover 14 to
the base member 18 of the connector body 12.
[0026] Referring again to Figure 3, 10 and 11, the cover hook 42 is
positioned at
the top end of the cover 14 and includes a "stair shaped" front hook portion
60, a lower
hook portion 62 having a cover stabilizer 64 radially protruding from an outer
surface
thereof, and a rear hook portion 68 that transitions to the cover 14. The
cover hook 42
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and the top bar 34 are designed and dimensioned such that, in the closed
position, the top
bar 34 is placed and frictionally fitted within the width of a cover hook
opening 70, as
illustrated in the Figure 8. In addition, in the closed position, the front
hook portion 60 is
substantially parallel to the mounting member 16 and the lower hook portion 62
is
substantially perpendicular to the mounting member 16.
10027] In the open position, the front hook portion 60 is fully disengaged
from the
cover engaging member 32, and the lower hook portion 62 is substantially
parallel with
the mounting member 16 of the connector body 12 with the cover stabilizer 64
sliding
onto the flat 44. In addition, in the open position, the cover 14 and lower
hook portion 62
are substantially parallel with the mounting member 16, and the front hook
portion 60 is
substantially parallel with the base member 18. A flat wall 72 prevents the
cover
stabilizer 64 from sliding back through the cover engaging hole 40, thereby
maintaining
the open position.
100281 In the depicted embodiment, the cover engaging member 32 has a
substantially rectangular cross-section. However, other cross-sections, such
as circular,
could be formed. The connector body 12 and cover 14 are made of one or more
materials
having suitable properties for a desired application, including strength,
weight, rigidity,
etc. Metal and plastic are generally preferred for the connector body 12 and
cover 14,
respectively. While the cover hook 42 is stair shaped in the depicted
embodiment, it will
be appreciated that other designs and configurations could be used for the
cover hook 42,
as deemed suitable for movably connecting the cover 14 to the connector body
12.
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[0029] In use of the duplex electrical cable fitting 10, first, a user
affixes the
duplex electrical cable fitting 10 to an enclosure by securing the mounting
member 16 of
the connector body 12 through a knockout opening of the enclosure. Then, the
user fully
opens the cover 14 of the duplex electrical cable fitting 10 such that the
cover 14 is
substantially parallel with the mounting member 16 of the connector body 12.
The user
then may install electrical cables via both openings in opposite ends of the
mounting
member 16 of the connector body 12. Once the user has installed the electrical
cables
within the duplex electrical cable fitting 10, the cover 14 can be closed and
affixed to the
base member 18 of the connector body 12 with the captive screw 56 or other
connector.
100301 From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a duplex electrical
cable
fitting according to the present invention provides a 90 degree dual fitting
with two
entries for multiple electrical cables, thus making easy and convenient for a
user to work
with the fitting.
10031] In general, the foregoing description is provided for exemplary and
illustrative purposes; the present invention is not necessarily limited
thereto. Rather,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional modifications, as
well as adaptations
for particular circumstances, will fall within the scope of the invention as
herein shown
and described and of the claims appended hereto.
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